Vacation Bible Camp 2015: Day Five

Message Received:  Hearing God's Call

St Thomas Vacation Bible Camp, Friday, July 31, 2015

Well, it’s hard to believe that we’ve come to our last day of Vacation Bible Camp!  It’s been a wonderful week, filled with God’s love and generosity!  We have loved having the children with us and invite everyone to join us on Sunday for our annual “Vacation Bible Camp Mass on the Grass” and picnic.  The Vacation Bible Campers will sing at our 10:15 service in Medina Park and the VBC story tellers will be acting out the gospel for us.  The children will be sporting their camp t-shirts for a day that promises to be a wonderful and wonder-filled time. 

Our Director of Youth Choirs, Tim Blok has been singing with your children all week, and extends this invitation: 

Hello parents, I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to sing with your children this week during VBC. The groups have been creating some seriously beautiful sounds together, and I’ve been so impressed by their talent, thoughtfulness, hard work and sense of humor.  If your child is interested in more singing opportunities, I would like to extend an invitation to check out the youth choir program here at St. Thomas. We have opportunities for students from elementary to high school, and I would love for your child to get involved! Singing in choir provides opportunities to make friends, have fun, be involved in the life of the church, and develop musical skills that will last a lifetime.  If you would like any more information, or have questions about how to get you child involved, please email me at tim@stthomasmedina.org. I look forward to hearing from you!

Youth Choir director, Tim, working with the children at VBC

Today we heard the story of Lydia (Acts 16:11-15 & 40) who heard God’s call through the apostle Paul.  The story of Lydia begins with a group of women gathered just outside the city gate.  Lydia was a woman who might have described herself as “spiritual, but not religious.”  The apostle Paul and his companions happened to be walking where Lydia and her friends had gathered, and he began to converse with them and to teach about Jesus, telling them about his life, what he had done, what he had said, and how he had lived.  Lydia was so moved by these teachings!  She came to understand that belonging to a worshiping community of believers who cared for each other, took care of each other, loved God and loved each other was what she wanted and so she asked Paul to baptize her.  She was baptized into the Christian community and all of her household was too.  Lydia became a part of a great community of people who gave and received God’s extravagant love.

That big circle of giving and receiving is exactly what’s happened at St Thomas Vacation Bible Camp these past five days.    Nearly eighty little campers and fifty wonderful volunteers have found new friendships, deepened existing friendships, and learned that age and size haven’t anything to do with our ability to make a difference in the world.  Our hope is that VBC has been a place for everyone to experience the richness of God’s love.   Campers and volunteers alike have surely filled our hearts with love, and we’ve all been blessed by our time together.  We hope to see all of the children and their friends at Vacation Bible Camp next year, and we welcome them to Godly Play (ages 4-grade 2) and Kid’s Club (grades 3-5) each Sunday, where the incredible and ancient stories of God’s love for us and for all creation come to life. 

Blankets are finished and will be sent to Nuevo Creacion orphanage in La Paz, Mexico!

All God’s blessings on you and yours…

Faithfully,  Karen†

Vacation Bible Camp 2015: Day Four

Message Received:  Hearing God's Call

St Thomas Vacation Bible Camp, Thursday, July 30, 2015

Today was a great day at St Thomas Vacation Bible Camp!  It was a day to learn about the way God comes to us in the ordinariness of our lives.  The Bible story woven through our day today was the story of Jesus calling the first disciples, the fishermen Simon, Andrew, James and John (Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 5:1-11).  Fishing was a very important job in first century Palestine, and in the midst of a hard day of not-so-successful fishing, Jesus called to the disciples, and because he did, their lives were changed. When Jesus said “follow me, and I will make you fish for people,” the disciples actually did that.  They set down their nets, left their boats and their family businesses and followed Jesus.  It must have been quite something!  Can you imagine being called so strongly to something that you would actually be willing to change your entire life?  It happens, even to people like you and me.  Following Jesus requires us to change our priorities.  And while we may not be called to give up our jobs or our homes or our familiar family lives, we are all called by Jesus, and responding to that call means giving up some of the things that our world deems important.  I wonder what each of us might need to give up in order to more closely follow Jesus and to more freely share God’s love with the world? 

VBC campers were surely “sharing the love” today as they made cards and notes for the children of the Neuvo Creacion orphanage.  We learned of two new children there who need their own blankets, and the campers will finish up the blanket making tomorrow and blankets will be blessed at Mass on the Grass..  As the children are wrapped in their blankets made by our campers, our prayer is that they will know themselves to be wrapped in God’s love and in the love of all the little (and big!) hands that contributed.  If you are interested in learning more about Nuevo Creacion, we’ll be happy to talk further with you. You’ll have another opportunity to contribute to the orphanage tomorrow – please bring your coins and help your children learn the great joy of giving.  The VBC campers are coming to understand that they really can make a difference in the world, and that they are doing precisely that!  There was more fun to be had in crafts today as children made their own “water sticks” to remind them of the disciples coming to Jesus by the water.  The snacks were awesome today too – ask your campers!  Fishing rod pretzels and gummy worm bait… yummmm! The Sharks and Minnows game in the park carried on the fishing theme, and the singing was once again sublime!  The children are very excited about singing for our Mass on the Grass service on Sunday.  Bring your campers (in their camp shirts) to the park at 10 and find Tim for a little rehearsal.  Then join us for a fun and festive family picnic after the service! 

It will be sad to end Vacation Bible Camp tomorrow but we’ll hope to see you all on Sunday.  The children have been a joy, and we’re so glad they’ve been here. 

Many thanks and blessings on you and yours, Karen †

Vacation Bible Camp 2015: Day Three

Message Received:  Hearing God's Call

St Thomas Vacation Bible Camp, Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Another fantastic day at St Thomas Vacation Bible Camp!  The youth Story-tellers told the story of the Angel Gabriel visiting Mary and calling her to be the mother of Jesus, the Holy Child of God.  Mary was very surprised about this call, and probably a bit afraid.  Can you imagine knowing that you’re a poor and humble person who isn’t very outgoing, not so popular and maybe even a bit shy, and yet you’re the person God chooses?  As it turns out, when we listen for God’s call and invite God to be with us, we see ourselves as the amazing and wonderful and beloved people God sees us to be!  With God’s help, Mary was able to what God asked of her … it’s what happens for us too.  The story shows us that there is goodness in all of us, that every single one of us precious to God, and that when we let God in, life can change pretty dramatically.  God is always with us, loving us and helping us to find our way.  We talked about that in crafts today too, where the glitter was flying and the campers talked about trusting in God.

Today was a bit different from our other VBC days because we had a church service with Holy Communion.  There were more than 70 children in church, and while they sang with abandon, there were times when it was absolutely still.  Your children respond very strongly to music, whether it be raucous or contemplative.  Look for a note on Friday from our Chorister Director Tim Blok.  A music educator by profession, Tim is very interested in creating more singing opportunities for the little ones at St. Thomas and in growing the current Chorister program!

 Getting ready to sing with Tim in the music station

Don’t forget about Vacation Bible Camp Sunday and Mass on the Grass.  We’ll have our 10:15 service in Medina Park this coming Sunday, and you are most welcome for this special service whether or not you attend another church!  We love to gather the campers one last time (have them wear their camp shirts) and have them sing for the service.  This year’s campers are super singers and we’d love to see all of them on Sunday!  Bring them at 10 to meet Tim in the park and do a little practicing before the service.  Then join us for a great picnic after church – always a great time!

We continue to collect donations for the orphanage in La Paz.  Please bring your change and perhaps even your dollar bills to the big mailbox at the church entrance.  Thank you again for helping to teach your children the joy in sharing what we have with those less fortunate.   

We are delighted to be sharing this time with your children… they are surely a blessing to us!  Many thanks and blessings on you and yours, Karen †

Vacation Bible Camp 2015: Day Two

Message Received:  Hearing God's Call

St Thomas Vacation Bible Camp, Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Greetings from Vacation Bible Camp!  It’s been another great day at St Thomas VBC!  Today the campers learned a Bible verse about listening for God’s call.  If you have a camper, ask them to say it, and to do the motions for you!  It’s Luke 11:28 -  Blessed are those who hear God’s Word and obey it.  The best part is the jumping up at the end… they can show you!  If your camper came home with a red, blue or any other colored mouth, that was from playing their “kazoos” before the paint was dry – it was too much fun to wait!  There were bubbles and blob tag, the campers worked on blankets for the orphans, there were new songs and lots of connections with children happy to be back in their groups with old and new friends.

Today we talked about a how people sometimes don’t like others who are different from themselves, and about the truth that we are all special and different.  Through the story of the Queen Esther, (Esther 4:13-17), we learned that even when something is hard to do, girls and boys can be brave and do what is right.  When Queen Esther learns that the king’s helper Haman wants to do away with the friends of God, Esther takes a great risk in going to the king, uninvited, and asking him to stop Haman.  Her uncle Mordecai, who was one of the grown-ups in her life who helped her to learn to do what was right prayed for Esther, as did all of God’s friends.  The king was sympathetic to Esther’s plea and became very angry with Haman (the “bad guy”), and replaced Haman with Mordecai.  Because Mordecai was faithful, the king was compassionate and Esther was brave, the people were saved.  Ask your child which part s/he played in the story in chapel!  This story was a good and important reminder that we can all share God’s Great Love by listening for God’s voice and showing compassion.  When we do what we know is good and right, we realize that God can use all of us – no matter how big or little we are – to help make the world a better place.  We also learned more about making the world a better place by bringing coins, bills and prayers for the children at the Nuevo Creacion orphanage.  Thank you for your helping your campers to make such generous contributions.

Tomorrow at 10 AM, all of the campers and volunteers will join our regular Wednesday parishioners in a service of Holy Eucharist.  We invite a anyone and everyone to join us as well!  Please know that at St Thomas we practice open table fellowship, understanding that this is Jesus’ table and all may find a welcome invitation to share in the bread and wine of Holy Communion.

A Note for Parents of VBC Campers: If you would prefer that your child not receive communion, please talk with her/him about that and tell them that they may stay in their seat, or come forward for a blessing.  If a blessing is preferred, your child will be invited to come forward and place arms across the chest as a sign that a blessing is preferred to the bread and wine of Holy Communion.  Should you or your child wish not to participate at all, please know that the children are welcome to remain in their pew and that one of their group leaders will remain with them.  We have a couple of gluten-free campers and they will be offered gluten free wafers. 

We invite you to talk with your children about your own family traditions and expectations and to help your child feel comfortable with whatever your family traditions are.  If you would like to talk with St Thomas Clergy about Holy Communion, please feel free to contact me by telephone - 454-9541 or email – karen@stthomasmedina.org, or catch me before or after camp any day this week. 

We are delighted to be sharing this time with all of these children… they are surely a blessing to us!  

Many thanks and blessings to you and yours, Karen †

Vacation Bible Camp 2015: Day One

Message Received:  Hearing God's Call

St Thomas Vacation Bible Camp, Monday, July 27, 2015

Welcome to VBC - we hope your children had a wonderful and wonder-filled day today!  Our theme today sets the tone for the entire week – God Has A Message For YOU… Can You Hear It?  The story woven throughout today’s activities is the story of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-21), a boy who served in God’s temple as a special helper to the priest Eli.  One night when Samuel was in bed, God called his name: “Samuel, Samuel!”  Samuel went to Eli’s room and said “Here I am, you called me.”  Eli was confused!  “I did not call you,” he said.  “Go back to bed Samuel.”  Samuel went back to bed and as soon as he lay down again, God called a second time.  “Samuel, Samuel!”  Samuel went to Eli’s room and said “Here I am Eli, you called me.” “I did not call you,” he said again.  “Go back to bed Samuel.”  So Samuel went back to bed.  Then God called Samuel a third time, and this time, when Samuel went to Eli, Eli realized that it was GOD who was calling to Samuel.  Eli told Samuel, “Go back to bed.  When God calls you, say, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’”  Then God called Samuel and Samuel replied “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” God gave Samuel an important message.  God calls to all of us with messages of Love, Forgiveness, Sharing, Gratitude, Grace and Peace.  This week, we will be listening for God’s call to us.

Hearing and watching the story of Samuel in the storytelling station

In the outreach station, the children saw pictures of Nuevo Creacion, the orphanage in La Paz, Mexico.  Our service project this week is two-fold.  We are fundraising for the orphanage, so please join your children in bringing coins and bills to drop in the mailbox at the church entrance.  There are also cards they can write on and drop them in the box.  Additionally, our campers will be making blankets for each child in the orphanage. In the Crafts Station, the campers made wax resist hand-print paintings and noticed how different and special we all are.  They played games in the park and sang for the pure joy of it.  We hope that your children felt the welcoming embrace of God’s love today.

Making joyful music!

 Running in the park

 Being creative in crafts

Carefully tying knots on no-sew blankets for the children at Nuevo Creacion

St Thomas has welcomed strangers into our midst since the 1950’s, doing that in a very special way in July, when we offer hospitality to the men from Congregations for the Homeless.  Please read about them below and see if there is something you might be able to add to our welcome.  

Many thanks and blessings, Karen †

Help Us To Welcome the Men of Congregations for the Homeless!

Each year during the month of July, St Thomas hosts Congregations for the Homeless (CFH) - a group of nearly 40 homeless men who are working toward a better life.  Congregations for the Homeless works to end homelessness in East King County, Washington by helping men to successfully make the transition from homelessness to permanent housing. CFH offers 6 services which include a drop in Day Center, a year-round emergency Winter Shelter, a complete case management system, a subsidized housing program, outreach and mentorship, and employment support.  Together, these services offer single men a path to a stable and productive life.

You can help these men in very concrete ways.  We are collecting gently used men’s clothing as well as small toiletry items.  Please bring your offerings of clothing and toiletries to Vacation Bible Camp Monday through Thursday this week.

Thank you for your generosity – your contributions will help to change lives and will offer you the opportunity to talk with your children about the joy of giving, of sharing, of helping others.  Thank you and bless you.

A Letter of Reclaimed Independence

Letter of Reclaimed Independence Tom, CFH Outreach Case Manager I arrived in Bellevue from Portland in 2004, a stay at home dad with two young sons.  We instantly fell in love with the parks in this city.  Robinswood was one of our favorites with its huge play structure, athletic fields, duck pond and trails.  I could never have imagined that I would one day live in this park as a homeless man.  In 2008, after many years of untreated addiction, I moved out of my home and began a downward financial slide that would end in unemployment and homelessness.  By 2012, I had suffered a divorce and congestive heart failure.  I was on the streets, living in my car. I parked my car at Robinswood, mostly.  I watched the soccer games from the bleachers.  I tried to blend in.  Fear and hopelessness set in very quickly.  The Bellevue Police would cruise through the lot every now and then, and my blood pressure would soar.  My alcoholic heart was failing, and I was exhausted day and night.  I washed myself in the bathrooms before anyone else showed up at the park. I desperately clung to my two sons.  We went to the park and played and ate lunch together purchased with food stamps.  The library became our living room.   After I lost my car, I slept in the parks during the day so no one would know I was homeless.  I felt disenfranchised...alien, even.  On October 2, 2012, I entered the CFH Year Round Shelter.  Unexpectedly, I was welcomed by other residents immediately.  The warmth of the sheer humanity of the whole thing surrounded me.   The food was delicious.  There was laughter and conversation.  The loneliness shed away almost instantly.  I was home.  I have since moved on to housing, and I am blessed to be a social services professional working for CFH.  Now, my children play in the parks, and they do homework at the library.  I am happy to be a part of the community. www.cfhomeless.org

CityServe Mission Trip - Day Three

Today was our last full day of our CityServe mission trip.  We will be going back to our homes tomorrow, but we will be taking everything we’ve seen, heard, experienced, and learned with us.  Even though this mission trip was only two full days, we have all been changed by the people we have encountered and the acts of love and service we have done.

We had an amazing opportunity to sit and talk with some of the guests of St. Luke’s feeding program this morning.  We were able to ask them about their lives, their hopes, their dreams, and hear their stories.  Our youth learned a lot during these conversations.  One of the questions they asked was, “What is something you want that you don’t often get from people?”  Many of us were expecting an answer like socks, money, or food – something tangible.  As important as these things are, each person we spoke to said they wanted something intangible.  They wanted to be treated like a normal person.  They wanted someone to notice them.  They wanted someone to listen to them and look them in the eye.  That is exactly what our youth did and, as we reflected on our experience, one of the biggest things we are taking away from our experience.  Those are simple acts that we can continue even after we’ve gone home.

Two of our youth talking with "Mr. President."

After our time in conversation with our new friends, we had some conversation about this whole concept of “mission.”  We call these trips “mission trips” – but what exactly is mission?  What are we doing?  The Bible gives us a clue.  And because we didn’t have time to read the whole Bible, we read the beginning and the end.  Have you ever picked up a book in bookstore or the library and read the first and last chapter to find out what the story is about?  Well that is exactly what we did.  The first words of the Bible tell the story of creation and the way the world was when it was exactly the way God intended.  The last words of the Bible give us a picture of the way the world will one day be.  The beginning and the end is the same.  In between these two pictures is us.  And as we thought about the way the world is now – the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly – we noticed that something has gone wrong…the world is not the way God intended it to be.  There are times of beauty and peace and wholeness and love.  There are also times of conflict, hopelessness, homelessness, longing, fear, and brokenness.  The plot of the story, the trajectory of history, is the action of God putting a broken and hurting world back together again.  As Christians, we talk about the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God isn’t a place…or isn’t just one place.  The kingdom of God is a state of being – the way the world God intended it to be.  The story of the Bible is the story of God’s kingdom breaking into a broken world.  Our petition in the Lord’s Prayer – “They kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” – is answered.  Whenever we experience wholeness and beauty and hope and love, we are experiencing God’s kingdom.  And the whole idea of mission is to partner with God to put a broken world back together again.  That is what we have been doing this week.  Our youth have participated in the kingdom of God coming on earth as it is in heaven.  And that is what we are called to do, not just on mission trips, but all the time.

This afternoon, we saw the kingdom of God at another Union Gospel Mission facility.  We went to Riverton Place in SeaTac to prepare and pack sandwiches for UGM’s Search and Rescue Vans that go out into the city every evening to find people sleeping on the streets.  They give them blankets, pillows, and food to get them through the night. 

We packed over 300 sandwiches that will be distributed on the streets of Seattle tonight.

We spent some time at Alki Beach in West Seattle after we were done working for the day.  It was a fun time together as a group to laugh and play.  We grilled some burgers and enjoyed the sun.  As we always do on our mission trips, we ended our day with Compline – praying specifically for the people we have met and the places we have visited.